A Central Texas school district closed three campuses Thursday after learning that two students were on the same flight as a health care worker who tested positive for Ebola.
Belton Independent School District Dr. Susan Kincannon sent a message to parents Wednesday night stating that North Belton Middle School, Sparta Elementary School and the Belton Early Childhood School would be closed.
Kincannon said the decision came after learning that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials are re-evaluating the health risk to some passengers on Frontier Airlines Flight 1143 from Cleveland to Dallas Monday.
"We do not know if this will include either of the two Belton ISD students who traveled on the flight," she said.
The two students attend North Belton Middle School and Sparta Elementary School, Kincannon said, but some prekindergarten students at the Belton Early Childhood School transfer through Sparta Elementary at the beginning and end of the school day.
"Canceling classes at the three campuses will allow us to thoroughly clean and disinfect the schools and buses that served them this week," she said.
The CDC learned Wednesday that a second health care worker who tested positive for Ebola Wednesday, 29-year-old Amber Jay Vinson, had been on Frontier Airlines Flight 1143 Monday. Kincannon said she was frustrated that she didn’t learn until late Wednesday night that the CDC was re-evaluating the health risk.
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"The health and safety of our students is my first priority," she said. "I will remain in close contact with state and local health officials."
All other campuses will be open tomorrow, Kincannon said, and it is safe for students to attend those schools.
